Red Lodge, Montana — A Great Place to Call Home!
Red Lodge is a charming town born in Montana's Victorian mining era. Butch Cassidy once tried to rob the bank here and Calamity Jane spent her nights at the Pollard Hotel. These historical characters are long gone, but Red Lodge is still a charming and thriving community.
The attraction of a small mountain town like Red Lodge is complex, like a fine wine, from its authentic downtown to the multitude of recreational opportunities. Red Lodge is an eclectic mix of artists, former chiefs of staff of U.S. Senators, authors, and a host of interesting world travelers. You may be surprised when someone you don't even know smiles and waves at you. But you'll get used to it — this is a friendly town!
Red Lodge, Montana Offers Many Outdoor Activities
Red Lodge boasts nearly 300 days per year of sunshine as a result of being on the eastern front of the Rocky Mountain range. Try being depressed with that much sunshine! Perfectly beautiful days for enjoying your favorite outdoor activities like these:
- Skiing and Snowboarding at Red Lodge Mountain Ski Resort with over 2,000 feet of vertical drop. Red Lodge Mountain was recently purchased by JMA Associates. This San Francisco–based company has significant capital improvement plans including many lift upgrades and more snowmaking capacity.
- Crosscountry skiing on Beartooth Pass which crests at just over 11,000 feet and boasts some of the best springtime backcountry skiing anywhere in the nation.
- Fly fishing on Montana's Stillwater River, the Clark's Fork, Rock Creek, Willow Creek and the Shoshone are always guaranteed to please. The world famous Bighorn River is just a 90 minute drive away and provides some of the best tail water dam trout fishing anywhere in Montana.
- Mountain biking on the Silver Run trail just 10 minutes from town, the Meteetsee Trail (south of town), the Palisades Trail, or on one of the many trails at Red Lodge Mountain Resort.
- Golfing at Red Lodge Country Club — Break out your clubs and shoot a round of 18 holes. This golf course will challenge you with its water hazards and take your breath away with its spectacular scenery.
- Whitewater rafting on the Stillwater River 30 minutes west is always a popular summer activity.
- Hiking — Trails are available all over and are suitable for all ages and ability levels.
- Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness — Red Lodge borders this one million-acre wilderness that ffeatures all 43 of Montana's 12,000-foot plus peaks. It is a Mecca for backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, kite skiing, snowmobiling, and high mountain lake fishing.
- Sightseeing — The famous Beartooth Pass is just 12 miles south of town and climbs from 5,800 feet in elevation to just over 11,000 feet. Journalist Charles Kuralt called it "the most scenic highway in America." This beautiful pass was also featured in the movie Horse Whisperer.
- Yellowstone Park is only one hour away for enjoying the geysers, hot pots, wildlife, and scenery.
Whew! No wonder Red Lodge was recently named one of the 'Top 30 Towns in America' to live in by Outside Magazine. With all that sunshine and exercise, you're sure to need to fill your stomach and slake your thirst. So eat, drink and be merry… Red Lodge just happens to have more restaurants and bars per capita than any other city in Montana.
Red Lodge Real Estate is Booming
Red Lodge is in a major real estate renaissance when most other resorts nationally are struggling to get over a "post-real estate boom hangover". Some of the current projects underway are:
- $25 Million Hospital — construction begins 2008
- $9 Million High School — currently under construction
- Red Lodge Ales brewery — construction begins summer 2008
- Sam's Tap Room — construction begins summer 2008
- Numerous other commercial and residential developments — currently under construction
Annual Red Lodge Festivities
- 4th of July Rodeo
- Harley Rodeo Rally in mid-July
- U.S. National Ski Joring Championships
- Festival of Nations (a multi-cultural event)
- Shakespeare in the Parks
- Peaks-to-Prairies Triathlon
- Christmas Stroll (very popular!)
- Fat Tire Frenzy
- and many other events
One Hour From Red Lodge
Perhaps the real 'ace in the hole' for Red Lodge is its close proximity to Montana's largest city, which is one hour away. With a population over 100,000, Billings has a lot to offer:
- Rimrock Mall — The State's largest regional shopping center serves an area encompasing 400,000 people in a 150-mile radius. It is home to almost 90 department stores, specialty stores, and restaurants. Major retailers include Dillards, JCPenney, Herberger's, and Scheels All Sports. Many other national chains such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Bath and Body Works, Chico's, Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Eddie Bauer, Gap, Kay Jewelers, and Victoria's Secret are also present.
- St. Vincent Hospital and Deaconess Billings Clinic — These two medical facilities comprise the State's best regional medical center providing care for people in a 4-state region.
- Logan International Airport — Billings boasts the best connections and fares in Montana. Servicing airlines are Allegiant Air, Frontier, Horizon Air, Northwest, SkyWest, United, and Corporate Air.
- Yellowstone Art Museum — Home to contemporary and historic art of the rocky mountain west.
- Alberta Bair Theater — Offers a broad spectrum of quality performing arts events including chamber music, popular music, jazz music, theater/drama, comedy, broadway, dance, and opera.